Mongrel Media nabs Canadian rights to Kayak to Klemtu

Produced by Daniel Bekerman and Sheryl Kotzer, Zoe Hopkins' directorial debut will get a May theatrical release.

Toronto-based Mongrel Media has picked up the Canadian rights to Kayak to Klemtu.

The filmmarks the directorial debut of Canadian Heiltsuk/Mohawk filmmaker Zoe Hopkins (Our First Voices). It follows a 14-year-old girl (played by Spelling Bee‘s Ta’Kaiya Blaney) and her family as they travel the shores of the Great Bear Rainforest by kayak to testify against a proposed crude oil pipeline. The feature was co-written by Hopkins and Michael Sparaga (United We Fan).

Produced by Scythia Films’ Daniel Bekerman (22 Chaser) and Sheryl Kotzer (United We Fan), the film made its world premiere on Oct. 20 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. Exec producers on the project include Scythia Films’ Ethan Lazar (The People Garden), Alex Ordanis (Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah) and Christopher Yurkovich (Opening Night).

The drama recently picked up the audience choice award at imagineNATIVE and Powell River Film Festivals, in addition to best Canadian first feature at the Victoria Film fest.